Post Yule Ball
by discussionsonpaper
Summary: Hermione is left at the base of the staircase after her fight with Ron at the Yule ball. What happens when someone unexpected comes into the picture to comfort her? Characters do not belong to me just the plot :D Thank you Lilly for helping me :D
1. Chapter 1

The Yule ball soon to come to a close, Hermione absentmindedly noted as she sat on the stairs a couple hours later after her fight with a certain red headed miscreant. No one stopped to ask how she was. All of them ignored the bookworm. All too preoccupied with their post-yule-ball hype. She didn't mind too much. _It would be nice,_ she thought to herself as she watched yet another group of girls who giggled as walk past as they talked about the event that had just happened as if one of them hadn't been there, _if they stopped to see how I was, even for just a second. _She glared at another innocent couple that ran past her; it was obvious that they were in search of a more private place where they could continue what they had previously been caught doing.

She heard someone's footsteps come towards her from the left. She ignored it. _It's just another person that will just walk by, just like the rest of them,_ she thought to herself. That's why she was surprised when she heard the person stop right in front of her; she still refused to look up and only saw the shiny black shoes of a man. She knew that it wasn't Harry or Ron; they had gone up to the common room hours ago.

The, still, unknown man sighed, "Why do you let him do that to you, Granger?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, she knew that voice. Granted, that voice is usually used to send scornful remarks about her background or bloodlines, but she knew that voice. She looked up. Grey met brown. Sure enough, Draco Malfoy stood right in front of her. "What do you want, Malfoy?" she spat. She cringed at the roughness of her own voice, "Come to make fun of me, maybe about how I can't seem to keep a guy around without making them go mad?"

He sighed, he deserved that, and he knew it. He himself didn't know what he was doing; this was not something he had planned. She was the girl that he belittled relentlessly. Yet, when he saw her, clearly upset about the evening, he had the strange urge to go comfort her. "I don't know," he said finally as he ran his hand through his blonde locks, which messed up his once perfect hair do.

He sat down next to her, on a lower step, as he slid his back against the wall, his legs stretched in front of him. They sat in silence as they watched couples come in and out of broom cupboards; they did not bother to give the Gryffindor and Slytherin a second glance. They were safe.

They sat like that for what seems like hours, awkward silence engulfed them. "Why me?" she whispered, he heard it, "why is it always me, Malfoy? They tell me to loosen up, and when I do, they get mad at me." Tears prickled her eyes, he wordlessly gave her a conjured handkerchief, she took it but didn't use it, but instead she twisted it in her hands, "I have spent the past four years with them, they just looked at me as 'one of the boys', which I had never really minded but, now, when things started to fall into place, I mean, _Viktor Krum_ noticed me, and when that happens… I just… I don't know what do anymore." She babbled on.

He didn't answer she didn't expect him to. They sat there, once again in silence; "I'll ask again Granger, why is it that you, of all people, let him do that to you?" she looked at him strangely, she silently asked for clarification. He refused to look at her but continued, "You are the brightest witch of our year, you are the brains of the so called "golden trio" and I'm sure that without you, Scarhead and Weaslebee would be dead," she cringed at the casual way that he said it, "so why?"

"I don't know," she said quietly as she looked into the empty space in front of her. No doubt thinking about what her enemy had just said.

They both sat, they didn't talk, and they didn't seem to mind. Soft music seemed to drift towards them from somewhere. They sat, lost in the music. She didn't notice when he stood up. She did, however, notice the hand that hovered in front of her. She noticed the nervousness that danced across his face, "Dance with me Granger,"

"What are you playing at Malfoy?" she asked, she stared at his hand with caution.

"Nothing," he replied, his hand still outstretched, "just a dance…. Hermione."

The use of her first name made her look him in the eye. No hatred, no prejudice. He wasn't the person that had done nothing but made her life hell, he constantly brought her down and question whether or not she should be here. Right now, he was just a boy who had just asked her to dance.

She knew that she shouldn't. She knew that if Ron or Harry ever heard about it they may never forgive her. She knew all this, but it seemed her body didn't want to listen to her brain. She watched as her hand slowly lifted before it gently fell into the blonde's outstretched hand.

He helped her as she slowly stood. This was not the Draco Malfoy she knew, but it was the one that she preferred. They swayed cautiously to the beat of the soft music. Her head looked up at him. His looked down at her. Awkwardly, she rested her head on his shoulder, her heels allowed her to do so. He was shocked. He didn't expect that. She didn't either, for that matter. Both decided they didn't care. If they were going to break the rules, may as well do it thoroughly. Hesitantly he rested his cheek on the top of her head. She stiffened, but she didn't move. They moved stiffly with the other, still very much aware who the other one was.

They both knew of the consequences. That didn't stop Draco, his hand curled around some of the blue material that rested at her waist, to pull her closer. She gasped inaudibly, before she looked up at the grey eyes that looked back at her. Electricity bubbled between them. "Draco," she whispered as she pulled herself closer.

"WOOPS!" someone yelled with a laugh, the Slytherin and Gryffindor pulled back hastily. Hermione's face turned a bright red; she had started to resemble a strawberry. The girl that interrupted them fell into a fit of giggles. She was drunk. That was for sure. Both Draco and Hermione looked at the girl, who had passed out after the first few seconds of laughter. They turned to each other. Fear present in her eyes as she realized what could have happened between them, if they had not been interrupted.

They both pulled away hastily, their eyes refused to meet. Awkward coughs were exchanged instead. Their eyes met in a briefly, but moved on just as quickly.

"I should…" Hermione stuttered, her voice shook as she willed her heart to beat normally, "I shou-should go."

Draco stared at the darkened hallway, the stealthily shadows danced up the walls. Monsters were shown where there was none. He stared at her. Their eyes only met for a split second, but his decision had been made. "I'll walk you back," he said simply, he stared at the brown orbs that looked at him in shock.

"Wh- I mean you-no it's… it's okay… Malfoy," Hermione stuttered as she thought of his offer, as tempting as it was, maybe it was better to go back to how they used to be, before all _this _happened. Maybe it was better to just forget about this day all together. It would be better, for both of them.

"Listen, Granger, it's late, it's dark, and who have no idea what kind of perverts are sitting in the shadows, watching you, waiting till you're alone," he said with a mysterious edge, the mixture of the way words rolled off his tongue and the mysterious way he spoke sent chills down her spine, "you never know what they are thinking an-"

"OKAY!" Hermione shouted, her voice echoed around the abandoned hallway, before it fell to a much quieter voice, "Okay, I get it. I – you – I don't want to impose on whatever you were doing before you came up to the crying mess of a girl –"

His unneeded (at least, to her it was unneeded) scoff stopped her from saying anymore, she looked at him, her face was placed in a mask of shock, while her cheeks seemed to paint themselves a dark red, her mouth opened without any real thought. However before she could say anything he reached out, grabbed her hand, (which fit perfectly in his, they both thought but neither would say out loud) and gave it a tug, as he pulled her towards the direction of the grand staircase.

The silence was deafening. The only sound came from the clunk, clunk, clunk, of her heels. Both tried to think of a way to break the awkward walk. After continuously opening and closing of her mouth, the bookworm spoke, "Why are you doing this? After all that time… you've belittled me, you've teased me; I've _punched _you, for Merlin's sake. So tell me why are you being nice to me now?"

He stopped; it was not till a couple of steps later did Hermione realize that she was walking by herself. His head was bent slightly, not looking her in the eye, but instead, to the ground, "Listen, Granger," he spoke softly, she had to move slightly closer just to hear him properly, "I want to apologize. Everything I said, everything I did, and I – you know I never wanted to do that to you, but… my father…" he hesitated, just realizing what information he had divulged.

She moved down the stairs until she was the same height as him. The sudden touch of a hand being placed on his shoulder made him look up. Her eyes sparkled and the pale light coming through the window from above seemed to make her glow. The fact that her hair seemed to be less perfect than it was earlier that evening made her, in Draco's view, more beautiful. A tentative smile fell upon her lips and all he could do was stare at them.

"Draco," she whispered, as he shuffled a little closer, his hands seemed to have found their way to her hips, bringing her closer as well. Timid smile were exchanged, each second their faces gravitated towards the other as the wind from outside, created a muffled symphony from behind the walls of the old castle.

There was barely enough room to fit a magazine between them as Draco crashed his lips to hers in desperation. Her hands moved automatically, she followed her instincts as it landed in his hair. Her fingers ran through the blonde tresses. His arms weaved its way around her hips, impossibly trying to pull her closer.

They both broke away slowly, their breaths came out in loud, short puffs. He had a small smirk on his face, but it wasn't a cruel one, the one she was so accustomed to, but rather a happy one, or perhaps it was triumphant, "You have no idea how long I've waited for that." He whispered to her, his breath filled her senses. Mints and chocolate filled her nostrils.

She just smiled. "I have to be back in the common room soon," she whispered back, as if she didn't want to break the spell that had fallen over them by speaking too loudly. She tugged slightly on the front of his robes where her hands now rested.

He allowed himself to be pulled. The smirk now turned into a smile, one that has not been seen in many years. Her hands slipped into his, and without any words, he placed his fingers in the spaces of hers. A smile grew on her face as she moved closer. They didn't understand what had just happened between them, but neither of them cared. In the back of their minds, they knew that it would not be possible to keep this going, but for tonight, it would last. For tonight was their night.

The entrance of the Gryffindor common room drew closer with every step they took. They slowed to a stop. The young Slytherin moved slightly so that he stood in front of her, staring into her brown eyes which had started to fill with tears once again. "You know…" he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. Before he could continue, lips smashed into his locking them in a tight embrace. Passion filled the air as they gripped on to one another, knowing that as soon as she walked through the door, it would be over.

"Thank you, Draco," she whispered, her mouth millimeters in front of his, "thank you for everything." With a quick kiss, she left the comfort of his arms before whispering the password to the portrait.

With a soft bang of the portrait closing, they both knew it was over. But this night had been theirs.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **So, I decided to continue this story, however, I do not think that this will be a long story, maybe 4-5 chapters, I think... we'll see. But yeah, here you go. Harry's reaction to finding out about Draco/Hermione_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Totally forgot to mention this last chapter, but I do not own Harry Potter, if I did then Hermione would be with either Draco or Harry, Harry would either be with Hermione or Luna, Ron would stay gone and Molly, Ron and Ginny would stop being so freaking manipulative. _

* * *

><p>Hermione woke up with a smile on her face. Her eyes stayed closed as she remembered the previous evening. When Victor Krum had walked in with her on his arm, the looks on everyone's faces as they realized that he had picked her, the fun she had from dancing the night away with the famous quidditch player and various other people, the smug feeling she got when she realized that Ron and Harry were sitting at the table looking dejected as she had fun. A frown found its way on her face as she remembered the fight between her and a certain red head. But the smile reappeared when she remembered her last awkward dance, the way her hand felt in his, the way his lips felt upon her own as her hands ran through his blonde hair.<p>

Her eyes snapped open. She kissed Draco Malfoy. She had kissed the boy who had been torturing her and her friends for the last three years.

She quietly slipped out of her bed and into a robe and made her way into the fourth year boy's room. She grimaced as she wade through the mess all boys seem to be able to make until she reached her target, "Harry!" she whispered as she shook him awake, "Harry, please wake up, I need to talk to you!"

"Ugh... 'Mione," Harry muttered, wiping the sleep away from his eyes while grabbing the glasses from the bedside table, "What's wrong?"

"Just come with me," she told him desperately while she pulled the covers off of him, before throwing his robe over him wading through the mess once again. Harry followed his friend with minimal grumbling; he figured that with everything she did for him, well, he owed her. They didn't stop until they reached the common room. "Okay, Hermione, what's up?" he said, yawing once again.

"Oh my God, Harry, I made a major mistake. I don't know what I was thinking. It just happened and... I didn't stop it, in fact, I think I may have initiated it and... Harry! Help me!" Hermione rambled off as Harry looked on tiredly.

Shaking off another yawn he finally asked, "Hermione, it's too early for me to understand what is happening. So I need you to explain what is happening."

"Harry!" she whined, "I kissed Draco Malfoy," she whispered, as if someone could hear them in the empty common room.

That wiped out any tiredness he once had, "What?"

She flopped onto the couch next to her best friend, "I don't know what happened. I mean, I _know _what happened but... it just didn't click until this morning." She let out a sigh, Harry stayed quiet as she collected her thoughts, "It was after Ron and I had the fight and – oh Harry, stop looking so guilty, honestly – anyway, I was alone on the stairs, I didn't want to deal with the giggling girls in my dorm, and I just wanted quiet. So I sat on the stairs, and he approached me, and we talked... then we danced – yes, danced, don't look at me like that – and it was late, so he offered... well, I say offered, he kind of forced me to agree... to walk me to the tower. And I let him. We talked, and he apologised, and then... we kissed."

They sat in a stunned silence, "Did you like it?" Harry finally asked after a couple of minutes.

"Excuse me?"

"There's something in the way you told that story, you aren't telling me everything, and I just took a guess," he sounded apologetic, "I'm sorry if I overstepped,"

Another silence filled the air, "I did," she whispered, "Harry, there was something about him last night that was... different about him and... it was something I liked,"

"You don't know what happened?" Harry guessed. She let out a little laugh, but nodded, while the tears started to build up in her eyes. "Hey," he whispered, pulling her close to his body, his arms wrapped around her shoulders, "don't cry okay? I don't blame you. You happened to see a side of him we aren't able to and, I guess, felt an attraction to?" She just nodded slowly, as if just realising it herself. The tears slowly started to fall, caught by the wizard's robes.

They stayed in that position until people started to trickle down from the stairs, "Come on, go get dressed, we'll go down to breakfast," he offered, pulling her up.

"What about..."

"Ron is still probably asleep, I promise, today, I am yours," He gave her a soft smile which she returned.

* * *

><p>"Malfoy! I need to talk to you..." Harry called out when he noticed the Slytherin walking by in a group. The blonde boy turned, his eyebrow cocked in a smug question, "in private,"<p>

"Now listen here Potter, you can't just make de –"

"Pansy, stop it," Draco snapped noticing the Gryffindor's expression, "this way,"

The two boys walked down the slightly crowded hallway in a tense silence. Students stared in wonderment as they walked past without exchanging spells. The silence continued until they were able to find an unused classroom.

"What can I do for you Potter?" Draco asked as he turned his nose up against the dirty room filled with dust and cobwebs.

"What are you planning on doing with Hermione?" Whatever Draco had been expecting, this had not been it, he had figured that everything that happened last night would be kept between them, he never expected her to say anything.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Potter," he regained his composure after a minute of silence. It was a silence that Harry noted.

"Holy... You like her,"

"What? No!"

"Yes, yes you do, you better tell me the truth Malfoy or I swear to god..."

"... Fine, I do. What are you going to do about it? Kick my ass? Fire some spells? Go ahead, because right now I don't..." he stopped at the small smirk on his 'enemy's face, "What are you smirking about?"

"Listen, Hermione is my best friend. In fact she is practically my sister, okay? So when she told me that she was with you yesterday I was... well, very angry at you, to put it lightly. Now, you know that I don't like you, that is a given. But last night, she saw something in you that apparently no one ever sees. She said there was something about you that she liked. Now, I don't particularly like it, but she likes you, and now I know you like her. And I don't particularly like that either. But there's something about you that showed last night, that seemed to want to make her happy. So, you keep her happy and I won't come after you, got it?" he sent a threatening look.

"I feel officially threatened, is that what you were going for?" Draco finally turned to face the boy who lived, "But I feel that this talk has been a waste. Granger and I are never going to get together."

"I doubt that you _won't_ get together," Harry said smugly, moving towards the door, "just don't hurt her, okay,"

Draco continued to stare at the door that Harry just walked through.

* * *

><p>"Harry," He heard one of his oldest friends call a few seconds and stopped for her to catch up, "where were you? I thought you were mine today," she teased as she cautiously hooked her arm through his own, even after all this time, he was not used to non-harmful human contact.<p>

"Uh, I just had to talk to someone," without thinking about it, his eyes moved towards the unused classroom that the Malfoy heir was just exiting.

Hermione followed his line of sight, "Harry," she scolded, hitting him lightly on the chest with a slight blush, avoiding Draco's piercing gaze.

"Just looking out for my sister," he sent her another small smile while sending an approving nod to the Slytherin. Hermione smiled at the casual way he said that she was family.

"Well, in that case... thank you Harry," she sent another look at the blonde, not expecting him to be looking at her.

Maybe last night wouldn't be the only thing that was theirs. Maybe sometime in the (near) future there would be many more days. If only Ron would accept it just as easy as Harry.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **I do not own Harry Potter, if I did then Hermione would be with either Draco or Harry, Harry would either be with Hermione or Luna, Ron would stay gone and Molly, Ron and Ginny would stop being so freaking manipulative._

* * *

><p>It had been a couple of weeks since the Yule ball, and Hermione could have sworn it was some weird dream, if it weren't for the looks that both Harry and Draco were giving her. She had still refused to talk to Ron unless it was necessary. She had also started spending more and more time in the library, trying to get away from the questioning looks of her best friend and the intense ones she had been getting (and responding to – if she was being honest) from the blonde Slytherin.<p>

She was sure that if Ron ever apologised he would stop talking to her again just because she was interested by the enigma that was the young Malfoy heir. Surprisingly, it didn't seem to bother the Gryffindor bookworm as much as it should have. Shaking her head of those thoughts Hermione tried, once again, to focus on the Charms essay she had in front of her. Disappointed with the one paragraph she had managed to write, she rolled up the parchment, ready to call it a day, it was obvious that she wasn't about to get anymore work done.

Again, lost in her thoughts, Hermione never noticed someone moving swiftly past the bookshelves, never pausing until he managed to get to the desk she was occupying. So it was no surprise when she let out a small scream of surprise when a pair of unknown arms wrapped themselves around her waist. Her hand automatically moved for her wand, hidden within her robes, while turning around, ignoring the fact that the grip on her loosened. "Malfoy?" she questioned when she noticed the (now familiar) grey eyes of her 'attacker'.

Draco held his hands up in surrender, "Calm down, Granger," Draco finally replied, his face showed his amusement at her reaction, "Potter said you would be here,"

"Since when are you and Harry best friends?" Hermione asked testily, her arms automatically folding in front of her, closing herself off from the Slytherin.

"When we are both concerned about the same person," his amusement turning into genuine concern.

"I'm fine," the Gryffindor huffed, turning back to pack her essay, "and what are you doing here talking to me anyway? Aren't you afraid that you will be seen talking to a _mudblood_?" she sneered the word out. She was thankful that he could not see the tears welling up in her eyes. She was pushing him away, and she wasn't exactly sure why.

"Don't," Draco whispered brokenly, "Don't you ever say that about yourself. Please," He slowly turned her around, but she refused to look him in the eyes, "I am so sorry," he repeatedly whispered, resting his forehead on hers.

Before she could even think about it, her hand reached up to cup his cheek, and her head moved up until their lips once again found each other with a gentle touch.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?" they suddenly heard. Hermione moved, albeit reluctantly, from the Slytherin. "What the hell did you do to her?" Ron hissed, ignoring the (now) shouting librarian about all the noise they are making, and how it was disrupting the students, unaware that she was now doing the same thing.

"I didn't do anything, Weasley," Draco sneered, any sign of the previous vulnerability he had just showed was gone.

"Yeah right, Malfoy," the red head snapped, trying to pull the resident bookworm away, but was failing as she dug her heels into a more sturdy stance, "like you didn't cast a spell, or put her under a potion, or something to make her fall for you?" Ron exclaimed, his ears turning bright red in anger.

"If you must know, _Ronald_," Hermione interjected, snatching her arm back, "_Draco _here has done nothing I didn't want," she hissed, making him flinch back slightly,

"But he..." Ron started but was cut off once again by Hermione.

"No, Ronald. You cannot tell me that you think that you're allowed to hurt me that badly, not apologise, and then expect to have a say in what I do with my life," She ended boldly, moving slightly in front of the Malfoy boy protectively.

"Come on, you can't be serious, Hermione." Ron whined, noting the movement, "It's _Malfoy_!"

"I am perfectly aware who he is, Ron. And, unlike you, he has apologised to me. If you cannot accept that, then you can just leave me alone."

It was at this point Draco grabbed the rest of Hermione's things, and walked off (but not before grabbing the Gryffindor bookworm's hand in his own). He walked away from the seething red head, the (still) screeching librarian, and ignoring the onlooking crowd. Hermione let it happen, too shocked to even notice the weird looks from passing students and teachers in the hallway. Had she really just given up four years of friendship for the Slytherin who had tried to make her time at Hogwarts unbearable? It appeared so.

A gust of wind blew her out of her thoughts making Hermione wrap her robe around her tightly, or as tight as she could with just one hand. Draco's pace didn't slow down as they walked across the grounds, continuing to pull the Gryffindor along, "Malfoy," Hermione tried to get his attention, but the blonde either didn't hear her, or he ignored it, "Malfoy," Hermione tried again, a little louder. Again there was no response, instead he just continued to walk towards the lake, pulling Hermione with him, "DRACO!" Hermione shouted, tired from being ignored.

Draco dropped her hand in shock, as if he just realised that she was talking, "Sorry 'Mione, I got lost in my thoughts,"

"'Mione?" She questioned the nickname that flowed from his lips.

Draco blushed lightly (though he would deny it till his dying day – Malfoy's didn't blush after all), "I... uhh... heard Potter calling you that once and... err... I'm sorry I –"

"I don't mind," Hermione replied with her own blush painting her cheeks, "can we just... stop walking. I need to think and I just..."

"Yeah, yeah, of course..." Draco fumbled over her giggle before they sat on the damp ground, their eyes taking in the sight of the setting sun over the lake. They sat in silence as they watched the sun go down leaving only the glow of the moonlight and the winter breeze (which they ignored thanks to heating charms). "Do you regret that night?" Draco finally asked, unable to take the silence anymore.

"I should, shouldn't I?" Hermione questioned back, never moving to look at the boy next to her.

"But you don't?" Draco pursued with his questioning, turning to look at her, willing her to do the same for him.

"No," she whispered, their eyes finally connecting when she moved so they were facing each other, "not even a little."


End file.
